The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1887-09-24
cLEvELANp's RECORD.
Evidences OF His Friendly Attitude To-
ward tho Union Soldier.

Evidences OF His Friendly Attitude To-
ward tho Union Soldier.
Under this caption the "Grand army
Gazette and National Guardsman,"
published in New York (and now in
the fourteenth year of its existence),
has in its August number remarkable
editorial article, which we here repro
duce in full. 1t deserves to be care
fully read and considered by all fair
minded PERSONS:
The Gazette does not sympathize with
indiscriminate attacks made upon the
President of the United States. While
IN that position he represents before The
wortd the great american Rcpublic, and
his honor and dignity should be as dear
to as as our oDn. That he has made
mistakes is probable, for he is human,
and that entails n liability to err. But
that he has erred wilfully and know
ingly we do not believe, and he has
been charged with many things which
the facts do not sustain.
For instance, it has been loudly pro-
claimed that Mr.. Cleveland is hostile
to the old soldiers, and has lost no
opportunity to oppose legislation in
their behalf. Let us look ut the facts
in the case and see if this sweeping as
sertion is founded on truth.
An investigation of the pension leg
islation for the past seventeen years
shows that General Grant, from 1870
to 1877 inclusive, period of eight
years, approved 4s5 private pension
acts; President Hayes, from 1877 to
1881, inclusive, period of four years.
approved 3O3 private pension acts;
Presidents Garfield and Arthur. from
1882 to 1885. inclusive, period of four
years, approved 1856 private pension
acts; While President Cere'and, from
1856 TO 1887. tnclusive, a period of only
taco gears, has approved S63 private pen
sion acts.
This as rs more than President Grant
and Hayes approved in IL gears, and
127 more than Presidents Garfield and
Arth~r approved in four gears.
On the other hand the President has
vetoed one hundred and twenty-three
private pension bills and the depend
ent pension bill. In the former he un-
doubtcdly acted in conformity with his
duty as it appeared to him from the
testimony and documents submitted to
him, and his veto the dependent pen
sion bill Das shoWn to be n, accord eCith
the preponderatimg sentiment, not only
Of the country at large, but Of the uet-
era,ss themselves.
But there is other evidence of the
Presidents friendly attitude towards
Union soldiers. lie has appointed more
veterans TO office than any other Presi-
dent. To be sure, some old soldiers
and sailors of an opposite political
faith have been removed from office,
but the fact remains that more vetera,s
are to-day holding official post ion ander'
the Government than at any previous
portion of our history.
The President also approved the bill
increasing the pension of widows,
minors and dependent relatives; the
act increasing in large number of
cases the pensions of manned and
crippled soldiers, and the act giving a
pension to the survivors of the war
with Mexico, and the widows of de-
ceased soldiers who took part in that
struggle.
In view of these facts, and of the addi-
tional one that a,euer before, in spite of
the rapttly Increasing death rate, acos
there so large number of pensioners
upon the rolls Of the Pension Bureau as
mo,O, is it not about time to call halt,
and ask the blatant demagogues
who are making these unfounded at
tacks to take back seatP In the end
those who make use of such menda-
cious methods will surely be sufferers,
for the American people is too intelli-
gent and too fond of fair play to be
long made the victims of such bare
faced deception.